Lead and rule holder for type compositors  use



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. A. LOW. LEAD AND RULE HOLDER FOR TYPE GOMPOSITORS USE. No. 395,984.Patented Jan. 8, 188,9...

mama W\. Maw fix (NoModeL) 2 sheets sheet 2.

I A. A. LOW. I LEAD AND RULE HOLDERFOR TYPE OOMPOSITORS USE.

No. 395,984. Patented Jan. 8, 1889.;

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

A. AUGYSTUS LOW, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE ALDEN TYPE MA- CHINECOMPANY, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

LEAD AND RULE HOLDER FOR TYPE-COMPOSIT ORS USE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,984, dated January8, 1889.

Application filed October 30, 1886- Serial No. 217,616. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. AUGUSTUS LOW, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lead andRule Holders for Type-Compositors Use, of which the following is aspecification sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to make anduse the same.

My present improvements relate, generally,

to. the method of holding and presenting rules and leads for usesubstantially in the manner set .forth in my. patent, No. 356,8l5, datedFebruary 1, 1887, in which a series of receptacles arranged relativelyone V above the other are each formed with a lateral opening throughwhich the leads or rules may be conveniently withdrawn. In theconstruction referred to the lines or columns of leads or rules inclineforward or downhill in such manner that their centers of gravity areupon the lower side, or toward the line-supporting shoulders below, thusthrowing a large proportion of the weight of the column upon the saidline-end supports, and thereby creating a proportionately high degree offriction and resistance to be overcome while removing the lowest type orlead from the end of a column. Now, while it is essential that the lineof leads or rules shall slide down the inclined floor of the holderautomatically as fast as those at the lower extremities are removed, itis also especially desirable that the resistance afforded to the removalof the types or leads shall be rendered as slight as possible, in orderto facilitate handling, and also to avoid undue wear upon leads orrules; and the main feature of my present invention consists in thearrangement and construction of parts whereby the centers of gravity ofthe leads or rules are thrown backward or uphill and maintained in suchposition that almost the entire weight of each line or column is borneby the bottom or floor of the holder and the pressure against theend-supporting shoulders is reduced to the minimum. This I accomplish,mainly, by the combination and use, with the compartment, of an inclinedsliding back-rest or line supporter and forwarder, which, whilesustaining the rear end of the line at the proper inclination andreceiving the back-pressure exerted by it, also insures the gradualdescent of the rules or leads down the inclined floors. The inclinationof the front edge of the back-rest and the inclination of the floors of,the compartments are regulated so that the line of leads or rules willjust move downward slowly and gently until the lower end of the linerests against the end supportv Y My invention also includes the specialformation of the end-line support or shoulder in such manner that thelowest lead or rule in the line may be quickly freed from the saidline-end support and from the press me of the line above. This consistsin using a supporting-shoulder of such angular form that when the leadis inclined to a certain degreetoward the right it will be clear of .70the shoulder, which latter will then relieve it from whatever pressurethe line may exert from above.

In this connection my invention also consists in forming the floor ofeach compartment at the point of removal of the leads or rules of lesswidth than the width of the latter, (preferably about one-half,) so thatthe lead or rule may be readily removed at a curve or angle, and therebybe more quickly 8o freed from contact with the supports. In this casethe receding front edge of the floor'may be used as a fulcrum or center,uppn which the upper part of the lead orfiile may be made to swingoutward until released. I thus avoid the necessity of either raising thelast rule or lead or withdrawing it in a line parallel to the floor ofthe holder during the act of removal and render the act more natural andconvenient.

My invention includes inclining the rule or lead compartment laterallyfor the purpose of more effectually supporting the bottom rules or leadswhen they coincide with the exitapertures and reduced floor-support, andalso 5 to preserve the perfect alignment of all the leads or rules andprevent their falling to ward the opposite side.

Another important change in my present construction consists inregulating and pre- Ioo scribing the width of the transverse openingthrough which the leads orrules are removed to conform to the thicknessof the leads or rules, or to the number to be simultaneously removed, bymaking the end-supporting shoulder adjustable with relation to the opposed edges of the side walls of the channel. l'leretofore I have madethe edges of the side walls adjustable with relation to an end sup portwhich was stationary; but I find the present means of adjustmentpreferable under certain conditions. For this reason I designcdly makethe edge of the back or lefthand wall of the channel for a distancecoinciding with the position of the upper per-- tions of the lowestleads or rules in the line parallel to'the end-line support, so that thedistance between it and the said end-line support will control thenumber of leads or rules that may be started forward from the end of theline by the thumb or finger applied to the edges of such leads or rulesat the left-hand side and draw forward transversely toward the right. Infact, when the adjustable end support is used substantially as hereinshown and described, the right-hand wall may be dispensed with, so faras regulating the number or thickness of rules or leads to be removed isconcerned, although it is preferable to retain it as a guard against anyadhesiveness bet-ween adjoining leads or rules, which might otherwisehave a tendency to be drawn forward or deranged during the removal ofthose below.

I am aware that in my patent referred to the upper left-hand edges ofthe lowest leads or rules are accessible from the left-hand side of thecompartments; but such construction was accidental, and I do not thereinlay claim to it for any purpose; neither do I seek to cover it herein,broadly, but conline myself to the combination, with a line-end support,of a left-hand side wall formed with a parallel edge opposed to the saidend-line support for the purpose of controlling the removal of the leadsor rules.

One of the main objects of my present invention is to adapt an ordinaryprinters galley, either permanently or temporarily, for use as a lead orrule holder and presenter, and I accomplish this by arranging andcombining the parts for supporting the lower end of the line of leads orrules and for regulating and controlling their removal in the form of anattachment to the said galley, whereby all necessity for changing theshape or utility of the latter as a galley is obviated, while the leadsor rules are accommodated and controlled as effectively as they would bein a specially-constructed compartment.

It is obvious that the attachment may be applied to aspecially-eonstructed channel, if preferred, instead of a galley; or thefeatures of construction embodied in it may be incorporated in permanentform in a suitable form of channel or compartment without departin gfrom the spirit of my invention.

In the accompanyingdrawings I have shown by way of illustrationpractical means for utilizing my improvements, although it is ob viousthat the construction may be modified or changed somewhat in detailwithout deviating from the intent of my invention, and I do nottherefore wish to confine myself strictly to the identical form of partsshown.

Figure l is an elevation of the upper side of an ordinary printcrsgalley provided with an attachment for controlling the removal of rulesor leads; Fig. i, an end view of the same, taken from the delivery end;Fig. 3, an elevation of the rear side of the attachment and adjoiningportion of the galley. Fig. 4; is a face view of the galley andattachment inclined vertically and charged with a line of leads orrules; Fig. 5, a view of the delivery end of the same, showing thelateral inclination imparted to the device; Fig. 0, an isometrical viewof the main port-ion of the at tachment; Fig. 7, a similar view of theendline support removed.

The attachment A is secured to an ordinary printers galley, B, by anysuitable means, since it is obvious that various means might besubstituted for the particular mode of connection herein shown withoutdeviating from the general effect of the combination of the deliveryattaclnncnt with the galley. The connection between the said parts maybe either permanent or temporary, as preferred, although I design to usea means for securing the parts together which will leave the galleyunaltered and intact for use in the ordinary way when the attachment isremoved. If preferred, the attachment may be applied to aspecially-construct'ed channel or holder with like effect.

In the drawings the attachment is formed with a recess, (t, into whichthe extremity of one of the comparatively broad thick side walls, 7), ofthe galley l3 fits, the parts being held together by screws (1 orequivalent means.

The attachment A is formed with an extension or floor piece, the uppersin-face, e, of which, when the attachment is in position upon thegalley, coincides with and forms a continuation of the inner surface ofthe side wall, 1'), of the galley, which inner side wall, I), in useconstitutes the floor or support for the ends of the rules or leads l.)and for their sustainer and follower E.

Side walls or wings, 0 extend upward from the extension 0 at rightangles to its upper surface or iioor, c, the rear or left-hand sidewall, 0, coinciding with and forming an extension of the back plate, I),of the galley I As a feature of my present invention consists inimparting a slight lateral tilt to the whole contrivance, as illustratediii-Fig. 5, for the purpose of causing the line of leads or rules toincline gently to the left against the back plate, I), of the galley B,and thereby obviate all danger of their falling forward to the right outof the galley, it is desirable that the left-hand wing or wall, 0, ofthe attachment A shall fit accurately to the back plate,

b, of the galley, and a shoulder or offset, 0, is therefore formedbetween it and the plate or frame 0*, against which shoulder the edge I)of the back plate, I), abuts.

The lateral inclination of the holder toward the left hand may beaccomplished in various ways. In the drawings a simple brace, c, isshown as attached to the back of the plate 0'', and is used to supportthe holder in its upright position upon an inclined bed, table, orstand, or any other inclined means of support-as, for instance, the topof a typesetters case.

The supporting plate or shoulder G for the end of the line of leads orrules is made adjustable upon the extension-piece C by any appropriatemeans, a convenient .form of connection consistinginforming the endsupport G with a dovetailed base, g, adapted to slide in a correspondingdovetail groove, g, formed in the upper side of the said extension 0,the support G being adjusted and held in position by a screw, giengagina female screw-thread, g, in the end of the extension 0 and connectedwith the slide g by means of a lug, g, proj ecting from the under sideof the latter.

The end support, G, is inclined at the angle at which it is designed tohave the leads descend with relation to the floor of the holder.

Upon its inner side it is formed with the line-end bearing-surface it,against which the lowest lead or rule in the line rests. Thisbearing-surface 7L is as small as is consistent with an adequate supportof the leads or rules, and its right-hand edge, It, inclines downwardand baclnvard toward the left, so that when a lead or rule is turned atan angle a sufficient distance toward the right, as indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 5, the left-hand edge of the lead or rule will clear thesupporting inclined edge h and will be entirely free for removal. Thelower left-hand portion of the lead or rule,immediately after clearingthe edge 72, occupies the space or depression 71 formed in the supportG, although it is obvious that the latter may be so constructed as to beentirely open and free beyond theedge h of the bearing-surface it; also,if preferred, the angular bearing-surface may be arranged so as to bearonly upon the extreme lower portion of the lowest rule or lead until thelatter has been made to assume the inclination at the right essential tofree it. In order to facilitate this method of quickly releasing theleads or rules and obviating friction, &c., I make the floor of theholder at the point of delivery less in width than the width of therules to be removed, so that the right-hand edge of the floor at thispoint may be conveniently used as a fulcrum or center upon which to turnthe leads or rules to the right during the act of removal, asillustrated in Fig. 5.

The lower portion of the side wall, 0', is preferably extended beyondthe edge 0", as at 0 sufficiently to afford a positive support for thelower left-hand edges of the lowest leads or rules after they havepassed beyond the prescribed edge 0 with relation to which the line-endsupport G is adjustable.

The edge 0 of the right-hand side wall, 0 when used, is parallel to andin the same plane as the corresponding edge, 0 of the left-hand wall, 0,and therefore both said edges bear the same relation to the adjustableline-end support G. I11 fact, the right-hand edge, c may be used alonein conjunction with the endline support G for prescribing the number orthickness of the leads or rules to be removed, if preferred, insubstantially the same inanner described in my former application forpatent upon this subject hereinbefore referred to.

The line sustainer and follower E is formed with a bearing-surface, e,for the upper end of the line of leads or rules, which is inclined andparallel, or nearly so, to the lower endline support, G.

It is obvious that the parts maybe used either vertically withoutlateral inclination, as heretofore, or the lateral inclination may betoward the right hand instead of toward the left, as herein shown,without deviating from the principle or general construction of mydevice. Vhen inclined to the right and used in connection-with aprinters galley, the latter will be inverted in position,with its openside toward the left. A lateral inclination toward the righthand sidewould also obviate the necessity for the employment of the lefthand sidewall, 0.

' I am aware that in my applications for patent concurrent herewith, No.291,985, filed No vember 26,1886, and No. 221,716, filed December 10,1886, I show and describe certain features of construction which arealso shown herein, and I therefore wish it to be understood that .lexpressly disclaim herein all features specifically claimed in saidapplications and confine myself herein to the subject-matter of theclaims hereinafter set forth.

\VhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a lead and rule holder substantially such as described, thecombination, with the inclined floor of the holder and with theillclined end rest, G, and the side wall, formed with a front edgeparallel to the said end rest, G, and creating therewith a lateralopening in the channel, for the purpose and substantially in the mannerdescribed, of a movable gravity line end rest or follower formed with aline-end bearing-surface which is inclined at an angle substantiallyparallel to that of the said front end rest, G, and front edge of theside wall, 0 substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a lead and rule holding compartment and withmeans for controlling the delivery of the leads or rules from the frontend of the compartment, substantially as described, the hinged lateralsupport for the said compartment, arranged and operating substantiallyin the nuniner and for the purpose described.

3. In it lead and rule holder substantially such as described, thecombination, with the stationary side wall formed with the inclinedfront edge and with the inclined rear lineend support or follower, of aparallel front endline support which is adjustable with relotion to thesaid inclined front edge of the side wall, for the purpose andsubstmitially "in the manner described.

l. In a lead and rule holder substantially such as described :t frontline-end support formed with an inner bearing-surface which decreases inwidth downward, in eoinbiinttion with the :uljoining portion of thechannellVitnesses:

WM. GARDNER, Geo. W. Mm'rr.

